AUIB University Research Board

Dr.  Hassan Nadhem is the Director of the Center for Research and Development at the American University in Iraq – Baghdad, a former Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, a university professor, writer, and translator. He is the founding Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair for the Development of Interreligious Dialogue Studies in the Islamic World at the University of Kufa, the Editor-in-Chief of Kufa Review, and the Founding Director of ‘Intellectual Studies’ (a series of books published by the University of Kufa). Nadhem taught in several Western and Arab universities and institutions including the Islamic College for Advanced Studies ICAS-Middlesex University (London), Nasir University in Libya, Baghdad University, and Kufa University. He published twenty authored and translated books and numerous refereed articles. His current teaching and research activities mainly involve intercultural studies, hermeneutics, and critical theory. He is a co-founder of the Hani Fahs Award for Dialogue and Religious Pluralism, a judge in the Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, and a co-founder of the Center for Countering Hate Speech.

Allison Webster-Giddings is the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at AUIB which, in partnership with Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, has designed and launched a bachelor’s degree program to promote an American-style approach to education teaching and learning design and prepare a new generation of teachers for Iraq’s schools.  Allison brings a breadth of disciplines in engineering, program management and higher education.  Allison’s area of research is the development of leadership through education, non-traditional student persistence and completion, and unmanned air vehicles in the shipboard environment.  In a former position, Allison was responsible for the integration and alignment of undergraduate student research and engineering curriculum with the development of U.S. Navy programs.  She has led the integration of research into aircraft system design and managed various aviation programs. Allison holds a Doctorate of Educational Leadership from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Aviation Systems from University of Tennessee, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture.

Dr. David Claborn holds a Doctoral of Public Health degree earned in 2001 from the Uniformed Services University of the Heath Sciences. Prior to this, he obtained his MS in Entomology in 1985 and a BS in Zoology in 1983, both from Texas Tech University. With a distinguished military career spanning over two decades, Dr. Claborn served as a Navy entomologist. Currently, he shares his wealth of knowledge as an educator, teaching courses in environmental health, international health, and public health of disasters within the Master of Public Health program. Additionally, he imparts expertise in homeland security and chemical/biological warfare to other departments. Dr. Claborn’s research focuses on various aspects of public health in disaster situations, encompassing topics such as decontamination of chemical warfare agents, disaster planning, post-disaster disease transmission, war and public health, and invasive species. His commitment to advancing public health knowledge and preparedness underscores his impactful contributions to academia and the field at large.

Mutasem Sinnokrot earned his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology (USA) in 2004. Mutasem has published more than thirty five peer-reviewed, Scopus-indexed papers on work performed at the University of Jordan, Khalifa University, and a most recent (2024) publication at AUIB. These research efforts resulted in an h-index of 15, and a total of 5300 citations, the highest in AUIB, and in the top 1% of scientist in the Republic of Iraq. With regards to teaching, Mutasem currently possesses an extensive experience in teaching both undergraduate and graduate Chemistry courses and undergraduate Physics courses, in addition to recently teaching mathematics courses at AUIB. These efforts were crowned with two notable Faculty Teaching Awards in 2014, 2017, and the runner-up in a 2021 competition, all at Khalifa University, UAE. Mutasem derives a great deal of happiness and energy from teaching and have developed an exemplary rapport with students over the past 20 years in teaching and academics. In particular, his academic relationship with the students of Iraq have been an extraordinary one, which enabled him to gain a strong reputation in a short period of time.

Saeed Askary holds more than 25 years’ experience teaching accounting, finance, and management topics in Australia, the UAE, and Kuwait, Saeed Askary holds a PhD in Accounting from Newcastle University in Australia. During his career, he taught more than 15 different courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. His research activities are also highly regarded internationally. The ResearchGate website reports that he has published 32 papers and is cited in 592 research works. In addition, more than 32,000 people have read his research papers since 1997. With certification in Australian Management Accounting from 2003, he is a member of the Institute of Management Accounting in Australia. At college and university levels, he served on many committees, including AACSB, recruitment, disciplinary, research, and scholarship committees.

Raymond Ramcharitar, a scholar and author, holds degrees in Economics, Literature in English, and Cultural History from the University of the West Indies. Awarded a fellowship by Derek Walcott, he explored poetry and drama at Boston University in 2000. Noteworthy for his diverse publications, including the acclaimed “The Island Quintet” (2009) and the praised poetry collection “American Fall” (2007), Ramcharitar’s literary expertise also extends to award-winning playwriting. As an academic, he challenges prevailing narratives, providing a revisionist perspective in works like “A History of Creole Trinidad, 1956-2010,” contributing extensively to cultural studies, literary criticism, and media scholarship. Currently an Assistant Professor of the Humanities at the American University in Iraq, Baghdad, Ramcharitar continues to share his knowledge through lecturing, solidifying his status as a notable figure in Caribbean literature and academia.

Dr. Omar Tawiq is a distinguished dental professional with expertise in Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Prosthetic Dentistry at the University of Malaya in 2020, focusing on a three-dimensional biometric guide for determining maxillary tooth position and arch form. His academic journey includes a Master of Dental Science (MDSc) in Prosthetic Dentistry from the same institution in 2009 and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Baghdad University in 2004. Currently serving as an Associate Professor at SEGi University’s Faculty of Dentistry since June 2013, Dr. Tawiq is actively involved in teaching, research, and administration. With prior roles as a lecturer and research assistant, he brings a wealth of experience to his academic and professional pursuits. Dr. Tawiq is a member of esteemed organizations such as the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) and the Malaysian Dental Association (MDA), underscoring his commitment to advancing dentistry internationally.

Dr. Khansaa Jasim, a renowned scholar in Law, holds a Ph.D. in Public International Law from the University of Al-Nahrain, complemented by a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from the University of Baghdad. As a dedicated University Teacher at Al-Mamon University College in Baghdad, she imparted knowledge in various law courses and assumed leadership roles, including Coordinator at the Department of Law in 2019 and Head of Public Communications and Media Unit from 2020 to 2021. Dr. Jasim actively participates in international committees, being a member of the international Swedish Friendship and the International Canadian LAHAN Committee. Her scholarly contributions are exemplified in authored books such as “Fragmentation of Public International Law Due to the Expansion and Diversity of the Rules” and “Judicial Protection for the Individual and the International Law.” Dr. Khansaa Jasim’s impactful presence in academia and international collaborations underscores her significance in the field of Public International Law.

Payam Foroughi is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security Studies at AUIB’s College of International Studies. He has formerly taught at the International and Comparative Politics department at the American University of Central Asia. He has also taught at the American University of Afghanistan and the OSCE Academy in Bishkek. Foroughi has a PhD in political science from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City with a dissertation on the comparative impacts and application of the UN anti-torture norm in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Aside from teaching at institutions of higher learning in North America, Central Asia and the Middle East, Foroughi has worked as project manager and consultant with international organizations and businesses, including the UN. Earlier in his career, he was an amateur photographer in Iran, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, an intern with USAid in El Salvador, and a business journalist in Washington, DC. Foroughi’s research and writings have, inter alia, appeared with the Economist Group, Freedom House, International Crisis Group, Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, University of Hamburg’s OSCE Yearbook, Central Asian Survey, Journal of Postcommunist Economies; Civil Wars, Europe-Asia Studies, and, most recently, Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia 2024.

Jeffrey Bellows holds a D.B.A. in Business Administration from Durham University with a focus on management. Launched two (2) MBA programs at different universities. Fourteen (14) years of university-level lecturing experience in business administration, management, organizational behavior, leadership, and entrepreneurship classes. Voted most outstanding business lecturer for three (3) years by 5,000+ student population. Widely known writer in the Business Daily newspaper on management, entrepreneurship, and leadership with over 530 articles. Extensive grant writing and grant management experience for research and programmatic grants. Brought thirteen (13) research and programmatic grants to his university employers. Founded and managed an entrepreneurship incubation hub at the University. Vast executive leadership positions in corporate, non-profit, and education management across North America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Pacific, and Latin America.